Artificial-limb socket



T. VAN KANNEL.

ARTIFiCIAL LIME SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL 19. i918.

Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS SHEET l T. VAN KANNEL.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB SOCKET.

APPLlCATiON FILED MAR :9. 19m.

95,573, Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL, 01E YARIDVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

ARTIFICIAL-LIME SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed March 19, 1918. Serial No. 223,300.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL, a citizen .of the United States, residing at Yardville, county of Mercer, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial-Limb Sockets, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to an improved means of connecting an artificial limb with the stump of a leg or arm, and the invention will be described herein in its application to an artificial leg, althoughit will be understood that the construction and operation are practically the same when used in connection with an artificial arm.

When the limb has been amputated below the knee or elbow, a leather socket is usually arranged to embrace the limb above the joint, which would be the thigh or upper arm. This part will be termed the upper socket herein.

In such cases, the artificial limb is provided at its upper end with a non-flexible socket adapted to embrace the lower end of the stump, that is, the portion below the joint.

Such lower socket is generally made ofwood or fiber and does not require to be opened laterally; but the upper socket requires to be of flexible material, as leather,

and capable of opening upon one side (preferably at the front, where it is most accessible), for application to the limb.

lNhile my invention is particularly applicable to the upper socket, it can also be used where the lower socket is made with a portion, 'or all, of flexible material, having a vertical opening, the edges of which are to be fastened together. v

These two sockets are held in their'proper relation by metallic joint-pieces and by a flexible tie, the upper members of which extend upwardly nearly the entire length of the leather socket, to which they are permanently fastened, one oneach side of the socket, by rivets or other means, while the lower members are extended downward and are permanently attached to corresponding sides of the wooden socket. The joints of these joint-pieces have their center of motion in line with that of the natural knee.

It should'be observed that the knee is larger than the portion of the limb just above the knee to which the flexible upper socket would be applied; and for this reason it is necessary to make the upper socket to open so that the thigh may be inserted in the socket.

My improvements relate to means 'for drawing the edges of the opening together and securing them in the closed position, in combination with means for adjusting the diametrical size of this socket, in order to obtain at all times the required resistance to the thigh and preserve a uniform tension throughout the length of the socket.

The invention also includes improved means for maintaining the joint-pieces in their original relation to one another when varying the diameter 'of the socket, and a 'means of limiting the degree of fleXure of the joint-pieces. It also includes various details of construction which will be here after described and claimed.

By the present invention there are no parts which require to be readjusted from day to day in applying the socket to the thigh, but the means for adjusting the diameter and tension of the socket are wholly different from the means for securing the socket upon the limb, as will be understood from the following description.

In the annexed drawing, the socket-body is provided with hook-plates at opposite sides of its opening, and a hook-slide to engagethe edges of the hook-plates, but any means of connecting the edges of the opening non-adjustably may be employed.

The application of the upper socket to thelimb and the wearing of the artificial member, constantly causes the thigh to shrink where the upper socket is applied, and the socket therefore requires to be comparatively larger when first applied and afterward to be reduced in diameter in accordance with the degree of shrinkage in the' limb, and thus maintain the same tension or pressure upon the limb to hold the artificial member firmly and to support its proportion of the weight of the wearer.

This shrinkage of the limb is often very great,and if the socket'be contractedmerely at the opening side to compensate for such shrinkage, it obviously draws both the jointpieces forward of the diametrical line of the socket, or from their original coincidence with the joint of the limb. Such displacement of the joint-pieces causes a great deal of friction and wear on the joints, as well as excessive strain, and often causes them to break.

My invention provides means for contracting or expanding the diameter of the socket without displacing the joint--pieces, from coincidence with the joint of the limb.

This is effected by the means hereinafter pointed out, which will be understod by reference to the annexed drawing, in which F igure 1 is a front view of an upper socket for an artificial leg; Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same on line 22 in' Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the inner side of the hook-slide, and Fig. 4 theouter side of the same. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in elevation; and Fig. 6 a cross section of the parts to which the two adjusting lacers are applied.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section of a socket with a lining of variable thickness; and Fig. 8 shows the means of connecting the upper and lower socket-s by a flexible multiple connection.

A designates the body of the socket with its opening B in the front, at the opposite edges of which hook-plates a are riveted,

and their adjacent edges are bent to form' longitudinal hooks 7) so as to readily engage inwardly turned hook-flanges 0 upon the opposite edges of a. hook-slide (Z, to fasten the socket upon the limb. The engagement of the hooks 0 and hooks b is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and -1L.

V The opening at the front of the socket is shown in Fig. 1 without the hook-slide, to clearly exhibit the bent edges of the hookplates. When the socket is clasped upon the limb thehook-slide is applied to the hooks b, as shown by the dotted lines (Z, at the upper end of the hook-plates b in Fig. 1.

The hooks 7) taper from their middle at toward their ends and are thus a little wider at the middle of their length than at either end, so that the flanges of the hook-slide are easily applied at their upper ends, but gradually. ress the inclined edges of the hooks toward one another as the slide is moved downward into the position shown in Fig. 4.

lVhen in this position, the bent flanges of the slide contact with the hooks b at the middle of their length, clearing botwhends of the hooks b and a sufficiently to permit ,the socket-parts at opposite sides ofthe division to rock slightly in relation to one another, and thus equalize the pressure upon the thigh when bending the artificial limb, or when the pressure on the thigh is not equal at the top and bottom of the socket.

The precise form of the parts is not material, as it will be understood that the rocking bearing of the slide upon the hooks I) may bee'ffected by making these hooks without any taper, and tapering the hook-flanges 0 upon the hook-slide (Z inwardly toward the middle of its length, so as to locate the bearing-point of the hooks and flanges intermediate-to the ends. The slide would operate the same if the hook-plates a were secured upon the outer sides of the body A and the hooks turned toward the socket instead of outwardly.

p In that case, the body of the slide (Z would slip inside of the hooks instead of out-side, as shown.

; 7 To facilitate the application of the slide to the upper ends of the hooks b, the top of one of the hooks (marked Z) in Fig. 1) is cut away sufliciently to permit the slide to first engage the opposite hook b and afterward engage the hook at 7). This avoids the necessity of holding the two hooks 7) carefullyin the proper position to make the slide engage both at the same time. This arrangement also enables the wearer to draw the left plate Z2 over toward 6, and overcomes the resistance of the thigh to the socket, and this operation can easily be performed without the use of light.

The space between the adjacent curved portions of the hooks c on the hook-slide (Z requires to be filled flush with the inner side of the socket, and for such purpose a strip of leather, or other hard pliable material 6, is secured to the slide (Z to fill such space, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Such, filling strip is projected above the upper end of the slide to form a handle 0 with which to manipulate the same, as shown in Fig. 3.

J oint-pieces .7, f are shown attached (as by riveting) to opposite sides of the socket A, upon the ends of a diametrical or other pro-determined line, and in order to compensate for any change in the size of the limb, without changing the circumferential relation of the joint-pieces, I provide means to contract or expand the socket at both the front and the rear of the joint-pieces.

This means consists in forming two divisions of the socket one at the front and the other at the rear of a joint-piece, with adj a cent means, as lacers, for closing the divisions.

Fig. 2 of the drawing shows a segment A of the socket-body A with divisions at its opposite edges.

In this case, the joint-piece is secured to the segment A and. such segment connected to the body of the socket by loops with lacing-cords at the edges of the two divisions.

V The lacings may be applied by sewing a folded strip 9 along each edge of the division by stitches 9 as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, with notches it cut out of the folds, leaving loops. 9 through which the cord It is extended and tied in the usual manner.

Insteadof forming the two divisionsboth at onesidej'of the socket, as shown in Fig. 2, one of the divisions may be formed inthe rear of one joint-piece and the other division at the front of the other joint-piece, which will; permit the contraction or expansion of the, socket equally at the front: and rear, and thus preserve their circumferential relation toone another upon a diametrical or predetermined line of the socket.

If the socket needs to be reduced, for example a half-inch in its periphery, the divisions at opposite sides of the joint-piece 7 would eachbe laced one-quarter of an inch tighter, thus-effecting the reduction ofonehalf an incli'and still hold the j oint-piece f diametrically opposite to the joint-piece f.

The socket thus constructed is obviously provided .--with separate means for closing the opening, and for varying the adjustment of the size 'of the socket, and such independent operation of these two agenciesconstitutes a very important improvement in such constructions.

It will be noticed that the lacing cords are not unfastened and changed when the socket is removed from the limb in the usual course of use, and that their insertion through the loops 9 positively prevents their accidental displacement.

The lacers which form the means of adjusting'the socket to the limb cannot lose their adjustment when the socket is put on and off, because the opening of the socket is effected only by withdrawing the hookslide 01. This permits the lacers to maintain theiradjustment as long as the socket needs no change.

A flap 2' is shown attached at one edge to the interior of the socket and extended inside over b oth of the lacers h and the slide d, so as to secure a smooth even surface throughout within the socket, as usual.

A means to compensate for the shrinkage or expansion of the limb without deranging the proper relation of the joint-pieces f, f, is shown in enlarged view in Fig; 7, in which the socket is divided only at the front and is closed by a hook-slide as already described.

In this form the compensation is provided by furnishing a variable filling for a double lining in'the socket, which lining without material trouble can be made thicker or thinner at any time to compensate for the shrinkage or expansion of the limb at such time. This lining consists of two flaps Z and Z which reach entirely around the interior of the socket and are secured to the inside of the socket at 7; near one edge of the opening B. r

A suitable filling Z formed of fibrous ma terial or layers of felt or textile goods, is placed between these flaps to make the socket snugly fit the limb when it is applied thereto, the lining being forced outward against the inner wall of the socket when in use.

obtained by placing more or less filling on one side or the other. If the tension is greater at the top than at the bottom of the socket, or the reverse, the wearer will suffer great discomfort, be unable to walk with ease, and the unequal pressure will interfere with the circulation ofthe blood in the limb. To attach the socket to the limb, the loose end of the lining is drawn out through the opening, when the thigh may be placed in the socket, the loose end replaced, and the socket fastened by the hook-slide.

It will be noticed that this construction of lining compensates for variation in the size of the limb without in any way deranging the circumferential relation of the jointpieces, and in this respect is an exact equivalent of the two divisionswith lacers it that are shown in Fig. 2. 1 V

In the artificial leg such as described, it is usual to providea dead stop in the joints of the two j oint-pieces' to prevent the natural knee from flexing beyond the normal stopping point; otherwise such flexing would be liable to cause a fracture of the natural knee, but the strain on the artificial joints is sometimes so great that these stops would give way under severe strain as in lifting or jumping.

To make'this feature of the artificial leg more secure, it is usual to provide a strong check-strap, one end being fastened to the upper socket and the other to the lower socket, and this check-strap must be provided with very exact adjustment. This connection is generally formed with a bulky leather strap having a lacing cord running through metallic eyelets which are inserted in a leather hanger sewed on the outside of the lower rear edge of the leather socket.

This hanger in its normal strain pulls out- Copies of this patent maybe obtained for ward that portion of the lower socket to which it is attached toa considerable distance and somewhat above the edge of the socket. V v s This produces a sharp cutting edge'on the socket which forces itself into the-flesh of the thigh, causing great 'pain and inconvenience to the wearer. This strap, being necessarily connected with the rear side of the socket so that it lies under the knee of the wearer, also causes much discomfort and inconvenience when sitting down.

With my improvement, the use of such means is avoided, and a very flexible union of the sockets is secured, with all the strength that is necessary to hold the two sockets in the proper relation, by means of a flexible multiple connection. I v

. To do this, I sew by stitches m a looped piece of. leather, which I call a tongue m, inside the lower edge of the leather socket shown in Figs. 1 and 8. I have this tongue m extend some distance up the socket, as shown in dotted lines m, and permit the folded edge to extend downward a 'shortdistance below the lower edge of the socket.

Notches are cut through this folded edge, producing pliable loop-eyelets 0, as above mentioned. A similar tongue m is fastened to the lower socket G some distance below its upper edge, as shown in Fig. 8, the "object being to obtain considerable distance between these two series of loop-eyelets. A suitable lacing cord 79 or ordinary tape is run through all the loops and tied as usual. The effect of sewing the tongue inside the socket, instead of outside, is that this tongue will constantly pull the edge of the socket away from the natural member, thus giving great ease and comfort to the wearer.

The constructive features claimed herein afford a great advantage in the application and use of the limb-socket, as they permit the instantaneous removal of the socket from the limbv and furnish means to main tain the j oint-pieces in the proper relation to the joint of the limb, while accommodating the size of the socket to the limb. I

The use of the independent non-adjustable means for securing the socket upon the limb permits the division or g'ap where the socket is opened to be closed by a metallic fastener like the slide (Z, which furnishes the sole means of securing the edges of the openingtogether, and operates to lock the socket upon the limb bya singlelmovement'of such fastener,which may be applied without the need of light. 1

' rwHaving t-hus set forth then-att re of the "invention:what is elain'ied herein is a 1. In an artificial limb-socket,the combina'tiom with the -socket-loody having an opening at tl-ije f-ronty-of hook plates secured to i opposite side's-of the o 'iening and-formed *with 1 lio ol 'zs tapered upon their ed es from themiddle 'toward'both ends, and *aslide having flanges -upon the edges adapted to engage'th'e said-hooks and'to' rock upon the projecting middleponti'on engaged-therewith.-w 1 3 Y i 2. In an artificiallimb-socket, the combination, with"thesocketbody having an openof the h'ookswhen ingat the" front;.ofhook-plates: secured" to for securing theedges of such opening together, joint-pieces secured at the sides of the body, a division in the body atthe front ofiajoint-piece and a division of the body at the rear ofa. joint-piece,'the edges of the divisionsbeing seeured adju'stably, whereby the diameter of the-socket can be varied without varying the relation of the jointpieces to the diametral line ofthe socket. 4 4. In an artificial limb-soeketfthe combination, with the socket-body having an opening at the front with non-adjustable means for securing the edges of such opening together, two divisions in one side of the body at opposite edges of a segment, one jointpiece being secured to the said segment, and

the opposite edges of the segment being connected adjustably to the body of the socket, whereby th'ediameter of the socket can be Varied without varying the proper relation of the joint-pieces. v r 1 ,5. The; combination, with an artificial limb-socket having an opening. at the front and means to secure the-edges of the opening together, {of two flaps attached at adjacent points to theinterior of the socket and extended within the entire :periphery of the socket and having a laminated pad between the'two flaps proportioned to lit the socket suitably to the limb of the wearelz, I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.-

Washington ,1).C 

